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Fatal NTSB investigations

180,658 investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board since 1962: 174,636 accidents, the rest incidents and other occurrences. Each has NTSB’s narrative and, once the investigation is done, its probable cause; since 2008, its findings and sequence of events.

Defining event

Finding

Phase of flight

Aircraft model

Cases, newest first

Query with SQL

SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1 WHERE c."highestInjuryLevel" = 'Fatal' ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC

duckdb -csv -c "SELECT c.\"ntsbNumber\", c.\"eventDate\", c.\"eventType\", c.\"eventCity\", c.\"eventStateOrRegion\", a.n_number, a.\"aircraftMake\", a.\"aircraftModel\", c.\"highestInjuryLevel\", c.\"totalFatal\", c.\"completionStatus\", c.report_url
  FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c.\"mKey\" AND a.position = 1
  WHERE c.\"highestInjuryLevel\" = 'Fatal'
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."highestInjuryLevel" = 'Fatal'
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC

Run it at the DuckDB prompt, or in any tool that reads Parquet over HTTPS. More ways to query the release are on Use the data.

NTSB LAX81OA021Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-31 · Magdelena, MexicoSep 30, 1980 · N3542X · Destroyed NTSB LAX81FA001Accident · 2 fatalClosedHughes 369HS · Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean)Sep 30, 1980 · N9252F · Destroyed NTSB FTW80FA126Accident · 4 fatalClosedPiper PA-24 · Hot Springs, ARSep 29, 1980 · N7839P · Destroyed NTSB ANC80FA104Accident · 2 fatalClosedBellanca 7GCBC · Anchorage, AKSep 29, 1980 · N2975E · Substantial damage NTSB NYC81FA005Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 210 · Newport, RISep 28, 1980 · N9662T · Substantial damage NTSB MIA80FA113Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-23 · Delray Beach, FLSep 28, 1980 · N14403 · Destroyed NTSB FTW80DA125Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-28 · El Rito, NMSep 28, 1980 · N1344H · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FEX37Accident · 1 fatalClosedPietenpol GN-1 · Marion, INSep 28, 1980 · N4933 · Destroyed NTSB NYC80FFA25Accident · 1 fatalClosedOsprey II · Kingston, NYSep 27, 1980 · N8020H · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA111Accident · 2 fatalClosedBeech C24R · Lake Wales, FLSep 27, 1980 · N23988 · Substantial damage NTSB LAX80FA143Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 150M · San Fernando, CASep 27, 1980 · N63093 · 2 aircraft · Destroyed NTSB FTW80FA124Accident · 2 fatalClosedBeech T-34B · Giddings, TXSep 27, 1980 · N46939 · Destroyed NTSB FTW80FA122Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 150L · Hendrix, OKSep 25, 1980 · N11424 · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA109Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna 150M · South Bay, FLSep 24, 1980 · N9134U · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA142Accident · 2 fatalClosedAero Comdr 500-B · Santa Maria, CASep 24, 1980 · N6206X · Destroyed NTSB MKC80FA058Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 172M · Cassoday, KSSep 23, 1980 · N1841V · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA112Accident · 1 fatalClosedCambell 47-D1G · Panama City, FLSep 22, 1980 · N3109G · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FA069Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 150J · Akin, ILSep 22, 1980 · N60771 · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA141Accident · 2 fatalClosedBellanca 7ECA · Lake Mathews, CASep 21, 1980 · N88254 · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FEI43Accident · 2 fatalClosedBreezy RLU-1 · Green Spgs, OHSep 21, 1980 · N1RJ · Destroyed NTSB ANC80FA102Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-18 · Anchorage, AKSep 21, 1980 · N21AA · Destroyed NTSB FTW80FA118Accident · 2 fatalClosedPiper PA-32 · Smithfield, TXSep 19, 1980 · N8194Y · Destroyed NTSB NYC80FA089Accident · 3 fatalClosedPiper PA-22 · Hyner, PASep 18, 1980 · N9527D · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA106Accident · 4 fatalClosedCessna 182 · Rio Grande, PRSep 18, 1980 · N4141C · Destroyed NTSB MKC80FA057Accident · 3 fatalClosedGulf-Amer AA-5B · Chesterfield, MOSep 17, 1980 · N4516L · Destroyed NTSB FTW80FA116Accident · 4 fatalClosedPiper PA-32 · Goodwill, LASep 17, 1980 · N1806T · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA049Accident · 4 fatalClosedCessna 177RG · Lopez, WASep 16, 1980 · N7514V · Destroyed NTSB NYC81FA087Accident · 2 fatalClosedAero Comdr 680E · New Windsor, NYSep 16, 1980 · N1520K · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA104Accident · 3 fatalClosedDouglas DC-6B · Haiti-In Ocean (Atlantic Ocean)Sep 15, 1980 · N9018N · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FA101Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper J3L-65 · Ocala, FLSep 14, 1980 · N28109 · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FEP55Accident · 1 fatalClosedBensen B-8M · Franksville, WISep 14, 1980 · N37512 · Substantial damage NTSB ANC80FA101Accident · 3 fatalClosedCessna 172M · Lime Peak, AKSep 14, 1980 · N80738 · Substantial damage NTSB MIA80FA099Accident · 6 fatalClosedBeech 65 · Clearwater, FLSep 12, 1980 · N625GP · Destroyed NTSB LAX80FA140Accident · 2 fatalClosedBeech 35 · Long Beach, CASep 12, 1980 · N299Y · Substantial damage NTSB FTW80FA114Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 401 · Houma, LASep 12, 1980 · N444CS · 2 aircraft · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA048Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna T210L · Dillon, MTSep 11, 1980 · N2041S · Destroyed NTSB MKC80FA056Accident · 2 fatalClosedCessna T210N · Summit, SDSep 11, 1980 · N4972C · Destroyed NTSB ATL80FA097Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-28R · Troy, NCSep 11, 1980 · N4809T · Destroyed NTSB ATL80FA092Accident · 1 fatalClosedPiper PA-31 · Culpeper, VASep 10, 1980 · N6702L · Destroyed NTSB MKC80FA055Accident · 1 fatalClosedMooney M20J · Summit, SDSep 9, 1980 · N3923H · Destroyed NTSB NYC80FGT21Accident · 1 fatalClosedBensen B-8M · Columbia, PASep 8, 1980 · N3776N · Destroyed NTSB MKC80FA054Accident · 4 fatalClosedBeech V35 · Jackson, WYSep 8, 1980 · N21MD · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FA046Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 172N · Pendleton, ORSep 7, 1980 · N3444E · Destroyed NTSB MIA80FLD97Accident · 1 fatalClosedFletcher KR-1 · Sarasota, FLSep 7, 1980 · N7472 · Destroyed NTSB SEA80FYM60Accident · 1 fatalClosedBLN Works FF-6B · Shedd, ORSep 6, 1980 · N27057 · Destroyed NTSB MKC80FA053Accident · 2 fatalClosedTaylorcraft BC12-D · Sedan, KSSep 6, 1980 · N44149 · Destroyed NTSB ATL80FA090Accident · 1 fatalClosedCessna 172 · Milledgeville, GASep 6, 1980 · N13268 · Substantial damage NTSB DEN80FA061Accident · 1 fatalClosedBell 206B · Grassy Butte, NDSep 4, 1980 · N58005 · Substantial damage NTSB FTW80FRJ37Accident · 2 fatalClosedBell 47G-2A · Cottonport, LASep 3, 1980 · N73988 · Destroyed NTSB CHI80FA067Accident · 1 fatalClosedAero Comdr 680FL · Chicago, ILSep 3, 1980 · N4700E · Destroyed